BETTER THINGS‘ strong second year was a masterpiece, and included many installments that could rightfully be considered one of the top episodes of 2017. But even in a season of greatness, the fantastic “Eulogy” stood out.

And like much of the show, the genesis of the episode stemmed from BETTER THINGS co-creator/star/director Pamela Adlon’s real life. “I used to…let off steam to my best friend,” she shared with us in the video below prior to the comedy’s FYC panel. “She would say, ‘They’ll love you when you’re dead.'” But Adlon rejected that idea: “I would say, ‘No, I want it now! I don’t want to wait ’til I’m dead…I want everyone to get along now—I want to be around for it!”

In “Eulogy,” Sam (Adlon) was pushed to her breaking point after her daughters Max (Mikey Madison), Frankie (Hannah Alligood), and Duke (Olivia Edward) made it clear how uninterested they were in her career/life. It’s pointed out they’ll appreciate her after her death, so she demanded they put on impromptu funeral for her so they could share their real feelings now. Originally, they pushed back, but she’s lured home where her girls—as well as her close friends Tressa (Rebecca Metz) and Rich (Diedrich Bader)—shared how much they loved her.

“It was a lot of deep emotions and guiding the girls through it,” Adlon recalled of actually making the episode. “And making it a very safe place.” To protect the cast, Adlon kicked out any extra bodies—including the girls’ real-life parents. “By the time we were done, we were exhausted and exhilarated—and we knew we had been through something transformative.”